


Mistletoe Magic

by for-the-glory-of-dragons (forthegloryofdragons)



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Post-Season 3 (Trollhunters), troll!jim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 05:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17156387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forthegloryofdragons/pseuds/for-the-glory-of-dragons
Summary: He hurt her once, and he's not going to again. She will make sure he knows that.





	Mistletoe Magic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Khaleesi_0f_Trolls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khaleesi_0f_Trolls/gifts).



> This is a Secret Santa gift for skrillqueen on Tumblr for the Trollhunters Secret Santa Exchange! This did take a while to finish but I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! :)

The group had stopped for a short break. Walking all night, though they found shelter to rest in the day, was tiring, especially when she was the only human there. Jim got tired too, but not as easily as her. He had even been keeping his distance from her to an extent. It confused her to no end.

 

So when they had gotten the Trolls settled, she grabbed Jim by the hand and walked with him until she was certain the others were out of earshot. They arrived at a clearing, trees surrounding the lake before them, moonlight reflecting off the gentle waves in the water. 

 

“It’s beautiful,” Jim said. She entwined her fingers with his. That was about as far as he would go, and she was always the one who initiated any form of contact between them now. 

 

She sighed, breathing in the fresh air. “I’m just going to cut to the chase, okay?” She looked up at him. His blue eyes sparkled with the reflection of the full moon, but she could see the confusion. “Do you remember what I said back in Arcadia? On the rooftop?”

 

“Um.” He bit his lip. She waited for a response, but it never came.

 

“Whatever you are, I love you,” she reminded him, nudging his arm with hers. He flinched, confirming her suspicion. “I know what you’ve been doing, Jim, and I don’t like it.”

 

“I don’t want to hold you back,” he said, nibbling on his bottom lip. 

 

“Hold me back from what?” Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “I chose to be here.”

 

“A normal life.” He peered at her from the corner of his eyes. “I can’t have that anymore, but you can, and if you want to go back, I don’t want to be the reason you stay.”

 

“Who said anything about going back? I like it out here. It’s different.” She grinned, hugging him around his waist. The new height difference made it slightly awkward for him, if the way he still struggled to position his hand on her own waist was any indication. “It’s nice.”

 

“I just don’t want to force you into anything you’re not okay with,” he insisted.

 

She rolled her eyes and pulled him down to her level, pressing her lips against his. She smiled as he returned the kiss. This was the Jim she knew. They stayed like that until she pulled away with a wince, and a metallic taste lingering on her tongue.

 

“Oh my god, Claire,” he gasped, stumbling away from her. She reached out, but he shook his head. “Your lip.”

 

“What?” She touched her lip and found blood on her finger. Her mouth set in a hard line as she edged closer to him. “Jim, I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

 

“I hurt you. Oh my god, Claire, I’m so sorry,” he cried. He had his knees bent, poised to jump, or make a run for it. 

 

“It’s okay.” She was afraid. One step too far and she would lose him. She took a step forward, but he had already leapt into the trees. “Jim!”

 

She pressed her finger against the wound again. It was hardly bleeding anymore. She sighed, shaking her head. Any progress she had made with him tonight, gone in ten seconds. He wouldn’t go anywhere near her for a while now, if ever again.

 

… 

 

They were all here. There had been much debate over where to hold their Christmas dinner, but they’d agreed that the Lake house would be the best. She and Jim would get to visit their home, and they would have a warm and cozy setting to catch up. 

 

Barbara had welcomed her with open arms, even bringing her into the hug she shared with her son. The plan had been to visit her parents first, which they had done, before heading over to help with last-minute preparations. 

 

She’d tried to help Jim with the cooking but he’d waved her away, saying he could handle it himself. Instead, she chose to stay by the side of the kitchen, leaning against the countertop. 

 

She watched him as he worked, fingers moving fluidly and with practiced ease as he prepared the main course. The others were outside waiting, talking amongst each other. She should have been out there with them instead of here with him. She saw him everyday, spent every minute together with him. The polite thing to do would be to go and be with her family and other friends. 

 

And yet she couldn’t bring herself to tear her eyes away from the skillful way he prepared each dish, like he had been doing it his entire life. 

 

With a jolt, she realized that he had been doing it for his whole life. 

 

“Claire?” 

 

She looked up. “Hmm?”

 

“You’re staring. Is something wrong?” He had that worried look in his eyes.

 

She smiled reassuringly and shook her head. “Everything’s fine.” 

 

He smiled back, albeit a little more doubtfully than she had. He still looked uncomfortable with his teeth jutting out like they currently did. Although she was totally fine with them, even finding them cute, he still carried the guilt from that one night. 

 

She had managed to convince him that she wanted to stay with him, that she still loved him no matter what, but he still hadn’t kissed her since then. 

 

It was just a tiny scratch, but it was more than enough to send him into a panic. 

 

She sighed, eyes scanning the room for any sign of a sprig of mistletoe hanging above them. It was stupid, a dumb holiday tradition, but Jim was a stickler for cheesy Christmas traditions. 

 

A round of applause and cheers broke her out of her daze. She looked out where the group was huddled around Barbara and Strickler holding each other close. Aaarrrgghh held the exact thing she was looking for right above their heads. 

 

“Glad I missed that,” Jim said with a teasing lilt to his voice, drawing her attention back to him. He had a wistful smile on his face. “She hasn’t been this happy in so long. It’s nice to see her smile like that again.”

 

“Like what?” 

 

“Like that,” he gestured to her with his spatula. “Like there’s someone there who loves her unconditionally.”

 

“When do you get to start calling him ‘Dad?’” She asked with a smirk of her own. He fumbled for a second to get a grip on the pan again and looked at her with wide eyes. “I’m kidding. Lighten up.”

 

“Only after I have the mandatory talk with him to scare him half to death. I’ll even use the Trollhunter card against him.”

 

“Diabolical,” she tutted. 

 

… 

 

Toby had been the one to supply the mistletoe. Darci was away with her family for Christmas, so it wasn’t like he had any personal use for it. Instead he’d chosen to play the wingman at their little gathering. 

 

Doctor Lake and Strickler has been his first targets for the night. He’d handed the sprig to Aaarrrgghh who held it silently above their heads until the silence in the room made them look up. It had taken but a moment’s hesitation before they’d kissed. 

 

He sneaked a glance at Jim as he applauded (and gave himself a pat on the back). For the most part, he seemed focused on his meal preparations, but he had turned to see what the commotion was about, turning back with a small, contented quirk of his lips. 

 

Claire waved at him, chin resting on her clenched fist. She looked bored. Her eyes flicked upwards, above his head, and he plucked the mistletoe out of Aaarrrgghh’s giant fingers. He crept up behind Jim and climbed up on a chair, looping a string tied to the mistletoe on his best friend’s horn. Claire snorted, and he held a finger up to silence her as he stumbled back down to solid ground. He winked at her as he made his way back to the living room, where most of the guests were gathered. 

 

If anything, this would be fun for all to watch. 

 

… 

 

Jim stepped out of the kitchen back into the crowd of people gathered in the living room. Claire followed and held his hand. “Dinner will be done in a few minutes.”

 

“Yo, Jimbo?” Toby gestured above his head. He grinned, showing off his braces. “Didn’t know you were dressing up for Christmas this year! The last time we did that, we were in middle school!”

 

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Blinky was avoiding his gaze. Aaarrrgghh had his eyes on his head, or rather, above his head. “Something stuck,” he said with a deep chuckle, pointing at his own horns.

 

Jim reached up to his horns and followed their length with his hands. His fingers touched a piece of string, and he pulled it off, finding the mistletoe attached. “What? How did…?”

 

“Does it matter? You gotta follow the tradition!” Toby jumped excitedly in his seat. 

 

Claire watched his expression change from one of curiosity to guilt. He pursed his lips. The corners of her lips quirked up as she tugged on his arm. He obeyed, facing her, away from the rest of the room. “We don’t have to if you’re not okay with it, Jim.”

 

“No, no, it’s just,” he glanced around the room, at all the eyes staring back at them, waiting, “weird.” He lowered his voice. “And the last time we–”

 

“Forget the last time. It never happened.” Claire stood up on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Are we keeping up this stupid cheesy holiday tradition?”

 

He leaned in after some hesitation. She made the first move and lifted herself up to reach his lips. He was gentle, careful not to hurt her like he had the last time. 

 

When they pulled apart, it was silent. Barbara had looked away from them, though the corners of her mouth were turned up, a ghost of a smile playing on her face. Everyone else was engaged in conversation once more, as if they hadn’t just kissed underneath the mistletoe in front of the entire room. Toby caught her eye and winked once more. She made a mental note to thank him later. 

 

“Since nobody’s watching, how about we do that again?” He asked with a lopsided grin. 

 

She tapped him on the nose and led him away from the living room back to the kitchen. “How about we finish making dinner?” 

 

He made sure to place the mistletoe back at the entryway. With some luck, he would end up there with Claire again. He would make sure of it.

  
  



End file.
